RTTC #156 My Physical Therapist Recommended These Shoes for Trails, Should I Wear Them?

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In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles the common question of whether runners should wear new shoes right before a race.

She breaks down why the golden rule of “nothing new on race day” matters, explaining that two days isn’t nearly enough time to properly break in new shoes and avoid blisters or discomfort.

Using her Finisher Framework, she puts shoes into context as just one piece of the bigger puzzle of training and recovery, comparing breaking in shoes to softening stiff jeans fresh from the dryer. 

Dr. Ali also explains the key differences between trail, road, walking, and training shoes, emphasizing why specialized shoes matter for different activities but stressing that race week is the wrong time to experiment. 

Her bottom line: plan ahead with gear, break shoes in gradually, and don’t risk sabotaging your race by making last-minute changes.

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  Hi, I'm Dr. Ali
  I've been running for 15+ years and been in the rehab space since 2012 when I earned my Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree. I get injury prone runDisney runners across the finish line without feeling broken.